Chronic neck and back problems cause pain and disability for a large segment of today's population. Adverse spinal conditions may be characteristic of age. In particular, spinal stenosis and facet arthropathy may increase with age. Spinal stenosis results in a reduction of foraminal area, which may compress cervical nerve roots and cause radicular pain. Both neck extension and ipsilateral rotation, in contrast to neck flexion, may further reduce the foraminal area and contribute to pain, nerve root compression, and other neural injury.
Cervical disc herniations may be a factor in spinal stenosis and may predominantly present upper extremity radicular symptoms. In this case, treatment may take the form of closed traction. A number of closed traction devices are available that alleviate pain by pulling on the head to increase foraminal height. Cervical disc herniations may also be treated with anterior or posterior surgery to remove the herniated disc and replace it with an implant, bone graft, or combination of the same to support, fixate and promote cervical fusion.
It would be advantageous to have improved devices, systems, and methods for performing cervical spinal fusion procedures via anterior access approaches. Ideally, such devices, systems, and methods would allow for minimally invasive or less invasive access and fixation, as well as helping ensure proper placement of the fixation devices. At least some of these objects will be met by the embodiments described herein.